Best-Selling Author, TEDx Speaker, Trainer, Coach

It is often said that the only time we fail at something is when we quit. While there are times when quitting our goals can be the best choice for us, it is not something we want as a habit.

When we quit, we are shutting off any possibility of getting the results we want. That can have a significant effect on how we respond when we are faced with new challenges in the future.

There have been many times when I have wanted to quit creating new content for my website. Every week, I battle with myself to come up with new topics to write about and it is sometimes quite stressful especially since I made a commitment to create new content every week.

However, every time I keep coming back to several helpful reminders, which reconnects me to why I should continue to stay with it and create new content.

In these times of constant change, it is becoming increasingly necessary for us to keep up otherwise we risk getting left behind. It is inevitable that the amount of change and the speed of change happening in the world will continue to increase.

If we don’t stay abreast of what is going on around us, we may continue to do things we had done previously, which may not be valid or relevant.

Eric Hoffer, author of The True Believer wrote, “In times of change learners inherit the earth; while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”

We all have habits that are either beneficial to us or hinder our progress. As we do most things habitually, we must always be aware of the things that are supporting us and those that are preventing us from achieving what we want.

Our unhealthy habits, if allowed to continue, can:

Restrict our progress without us even realising it.

Affect how we interact with those around us.

Prevent us from taking chances to get new or better results.

Lower our self-confidence, self-esteem and the level of trust others have in us.

Awareness of our unhealthy habits is vital if we want to make the necessary changes in order to get what we want.

Do you ever find yourself more drawn to people who are authentic and real? There is something about them that is appealing — it is their genuineness.

I know I personally tend to connect better with people who are willing to share their mistakes and failures, and what they learned from them, rather than those who talk about their successes only. Listening to other people’s story of struggle can be both inspiring and motivating, and it often helps me stay committed to the things I want to accomplish.

There is often resistance or confusion around how genuine we should be. There may be a fear that if we reveal too much about ourselves, then:

Our level of confidence has a huge impact on what we’re willing or not willing to do. The more confidence we have, the more willing we are to challenge ourselves to try new things.

Unfortunately, confidence is one of those things that can be eroded very easily if we’re not aware of the things that can affect it. If we’re able to identify what some of the things that affect our confidence are, we can put tools or strategies in place to deal with them when they do come up.

We make promises or agreements with others all the time. While the level of trust others have with us is determined by our ability to keep our promises, the level of trust we have with ourselves is far more important.

Our ability to keep our word says a lot about who we are and what our values are in life. Think back to all the times you have made a commitment to yourself — to do some form of exercise a few times a week, resist the temptation to have that extra piece of cake, or say no next time someone tries to take advantage of you. How did it make you feel when you were failed to keep your commitment?

Every time we have not made good on our commitment or promise to ourselves, we lose trust in ourselves to follow through on what we had set out to do. It is hard to keep promises with others if we are unable to keep promises with ourselves.